Gap of services quality expectation and perception based on SERVQUAL model in the selected hospital outpatient clinics affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Nowadays, measuring the quality of services in order to effectively allocate resources and ensure a higher level of patient satisfaction is on the agenda of healthcare managers. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible gap between the perception and expectation of service quality from patients and managers’ perspective in the selected outpatient clinics affiliated with hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. The required data were collected based on a valid and reliable questionnaire (SERVQUAL). Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to analyze the data. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: The patients' expectation (4.76) was higher than managers’ expectation (4.58), while the patients' perception level of service quality (3.20) was lower than the managers' perception level (3.73). The gap between expectation and perception of patients in all dimensions was statistically significant; moreover, the highest gap was found in the responsiveness dimension. From the managers' viewpoint, a significant relationship was reported between the expectation and perception gap in all dimensions except the responsiveness one. Moreover, the highest mean score gap was related to the tangibility dimension (P-Value = -1.73). Conclusion: There was a negative gap between the expectations and perceptions from managers and patients’ perspectives in all the service quality dimensions. Hospital managers should attempt to reduce the gap between the expectation and perception by providing timely services and improving staff communication skills. References